Book Review 14: Void & Onix Bowl by Fernanda Liedo & Macarena Matrajt

I have read many cat stories... more than I can count. Short stories, YA novels, memoirs, and children's books. Most of which I have really enjoyed. But I have never read anything like this. 

Void and Onix Bowl is a story within a story. It follows a mommy cat telling a bedtime story to her three kittens. One of the kittens is especially curious, and as most cat people know, this is exactly how a real cat would act. It captures the playful nature of kittens really well, and simultaneously makes the story very heartwarming. The author did a good job of making it fun and enjoyable to read. 

Along with the descriptive storytelling, I really liked the vivid and colourful illustrations. This would be the perfect bedtime story for anyone who likes fantasy, fables and cats. Maybe I am a bit biased, but as a cat lover (and especially a black cat lover), I really enjoyed Void and Onix Bowl. I would give this book a 4/5. 

 

Book Review 12: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus had been on my TBR for quite some time. I found this copy at my local library book sale maybe about a year ago. I was a bit reluctant to start it since I'd heard so many mixed reviews. It seemed like people either loved it or hated it. I instantly fell in love with it. It was unlike any other book I'd ever read. It was enchanting, magical and electrifying. A part of me can't believe how many people didn't like it. That being said, I know many people thought it was slow and boring. Although the story does move a bit slow, that is what I loved most about it. It portrayed the character development so beautifully.

Fantasy is my favourite book genre but it does tend to be dark at times. That was another reason I wasn't sure if I wanted to start this book right now. Lately I've been trying to keep a balance between fantasy and light reads. But the author did such a great job of keeping the book fantastical and lighthearted.

Someone on Facebook described it as a book you want to just crawl inside and live in! That is the best way to describe it. It really captivated me and I think it is a book I would want to reread down the road. 5 stars!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

A Dog's Purpose Controversy

Unless you're living under a rock, you may have heard of the animal abuse video that has recently surfaced from the set of the movie "A Dog's Purpose." The video shows a dog handler forcing a German shepherd into a water rapid simulator (and the dog is clearly not having it.) The video is then edited to show the dog submerged under water and nearly drowning. 

For obvious reasons, this video upset a lot of people. Not only is the dog trainer forcing the dog to do something against his will. It's also ironic and very disturbing that this took place behind the scenes of a movie that celebrates a dog's love for his/her masters. Many people have decided to boycott the movie due to the circumstances of how the movie was filmed. 

I read the book a few months ago and was really looking forward to watching the movie. W. Bruce Cameron wrote a tear jerking novel with such great delivery. It's really unfortunate that the actions of an unprofessional dog handler has tainted his beautiful story. Due to the controversy surrounding the movie, now the author is being shunned. Cameron released a statement on his official facebook page stating that he wasn't on set when this all went down. He's currently looking into the situation and investigating exactly what happened. 

For those people who've decided to boycott this film (and there's a lot of them), my personal recommendation would be to at least read the book. I understand the disturbing content in which the film was made, but please don't deprive yourself of this amazing book about love and friendship. It's written beautifully and with so much heart and soul. However, you may need to have a box of tissues nearby as I was completely red eyed and sobbing through out half of the book. Also keep in mind that it may give you some Marley and Me flashbacks. Nevertheless, the author shouldn't be blamed for the actions of an irresponsible animal handler. 

 

Book Club: Poetry Reading

I have been a part of various book clubs in the past and they all usually work the same way. The group all reads the same book and meet the following month to discuss that book. What we liked about it, what we didn't like about it, would we read something from that same author again, etc. The books read at book club are meant to start up a lot of discussion, so they tend to be books that make you feel. This upcoming meeting in February, my (current) book club is doing something a little different. Instead of reading a book, every book club member will be choosing a poem each and read it out loud to the rest of the group members. Each reading will be followed by a little explanation of why we chose that poem. 

Literature was always my favourite subject in school and I loved studying poetry. Back when I was a teenager, I used to write a lot of poems, short stories and journal entries in my free time. It is sad for me to admit that I haven't written a poem or a short story in years. However, I do occasionally still write in my journal. I was going through some of my old notebooks recently and found a collection of some of my writing. Some of them I had completely forgotten about, so it was nice to go back to them after all these years. Looking back at some of my old work, I feel like I may want to get back into writing poetry some time. Maybe one day when I am inspired, I will start again! One of my book club members suggested for me to bring one of my own poems to read for the next meeting. I was a bit hesitant at first to share my own work, but I decided to go with the one I liked the best...so here it is. Most of my writing is dated, and I wrote this one when I was sixteen.  Hope you enjoy it! 

Growing Up

by Sadaf Hussain

I am quiet,
I am lonely,
I have imaginary friends,
I am a laugher,
I am a crier,
I am a thinker,
As I look at my reflection,
In a mirror view of my past,
I let my inner-child free,
I come back to reality,
Today I am friendly,
I am loving,
I am caring,
I am a laugher,
I am a crier,
I am a thinker,
I am a writer,
I am a drawer,
I am a dreamer,
I am a friend,
I am a sister,
I am a daughter,
I am an aunt,
I am not perfect,
I make mistakes,
I am a learner,
After all,
I am human.

Book Review 6: The Seven Realms Series

I have previously reviewed "The Demon King" but now that I've completed all four Seven Realms books, I thought I'd do a overall review of the entire series. Let me start off by saying, the first time I was introduced to Cinda Williams Chima was a few years ago, when I got my hands on "The Wizard Heir" which is book two from her other fantasy series, titled "The Heir Chronicles." When I learned she wrote another series, I knew I had to read it. The Heir Chronicles are set in modern day times, while The Seven Realms is high fantasy.

As soon as I started reading The Demon King, I just fell in love with it and it became one of my favourite book series'. It had everything in it that I wanted in a book; magic, betrayal, romance, and twists and turns that leave you at the edge of your seat. The two main characters are Raisa Ana Marianna and Han Allister. Raisa is heir to the throne to her mom's Queendom. She is stubborn, headstrong, causes trouble, and you can't help but love her for it. Han Allister is a former streetlord who often tries to do the right thing, but trouble seems to find him wherever he goes. We follow their journeys as individuals and their worlds eventually collide.

As the story progresses, so does the character development. Chima does a great job of keeping you interested and getting you emotionally attached. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say this; you may get attached to some characters that don't make it till the end. Having previously read The Heir Chronicles, I knew to expect some gore and deaths. There was one particular character which I expected to die early on, but he/she (surprisingly) survived .

The series ended very well. It left me satisfied, and I felt like it tied up all the loose ends. I was happy with the way things turned out. However, I am sad that there will no longer be any future Seven Realms for me to look forward to! On the contrary, I still have to read Chima's most recent book, The Enchanter's Heir. And if memory serves correctly, There will be one more book in the Heir Chronicles after the Enchanter's Heir. I really do hope Cinda Williams Chima decides to write more books in the future, because I absolutely love her!

Liking my E-Reader more than I expected

I've been reading on my e-reader for the last couple of weeks now. I am firm in my belief that real books are way better. However, it's not as bad as I was expecting it to be. I am enjoying my book so much, that sometimes I even forget it's not a "book." I understand why so many people like e-readers. It's so convenient to have a thin device with endless books downloaded on to it, as opposed to carrying them all in your backpack. This convenience would be most applicable to students or people who travel a lot, I would imagine. Furthermore, maybe I am just old fashioned, but I love the feel of pages through my fingers, and an old book smell. There's just something magical and wonderful about it. The book I downloaded is The Gray Wolf Throne. I've previously taken this book out of the library a few times, but never ended up finishing it. It's book three of a series of four, so I can't wait to find out what happens!

What book are you currently reading?

Two Down, A Million to Go!

I learned a neat little trick from one of my dear friends, on how to read your books. I am not taking any extra books out of the library anymore. The only items I ever take out from the library are (one) book club book, DVDs and the occasional magazine. So every month, I read 2 books and alternate: one book club book, and one of my own books. Ever since I joined the two book clubs, reading just became a chore and I began dreading to read all those (boring) book club books. But, my love of reading has been restored. Yay!

So far, out of my own books, I completed The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks and am now reading the first Game of Thrones book by George R.R. Martin. Technically, Game of Thrones is not mine. I borrowed it from a family member almost a year ago, so I thought I should read it and finally return it!

Most of the books on my shelf are books which I purchased from a Clearance Book Sale last March (2012), that took place at the Toronto Reference Library. (Note: 14 used books for the awesome price of just $4.00!!!!!) The sale happened again a couple of weeks ago, and although I was tempted to go, I held back! I thought to myself: This sale happens every year. Let me just make my way through the books I currently own, and if I successfully read all of them in the next year, I can always go back to the book sale in 2014.

It will take a long time to finish reading all the books on my shelf, of course. There are almost 20 books on there, and some of them are book 1 of a series, so I will probably want to go and read the entire series! But I'm making my way through it, and even slow progress is still progress! =)

Happy Reading! 

Books For Sale

As stated before, there is only one thing I love more than buying books; buying books for a fraction of the price. Much to my amazement, my local library was having a clearance book sale on discarded books and books donated by patrons. I kept debating on whether I should go or not, wondering if I'll even be able to find anything good. I was advised by a friend that looking for a specific book would be like, and I quote, "looking for a needle in a haystack." In the end, I decided to go, knowing that I would regret it if I didn't.

Boy, am I glad I did. I was able to find many well known titles on the shelves. Mind you, a lot of the books were not in "perfect" condition, but a few of them did look almost brand new. My friend was right though, I did feel like I was looking for a needle in a haystack. However, the tables were categorized, which made the search a bit easier. I will admit, I was specifically looking for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I own the entire series, except for the last one, so I needed to complete my collection. Unfortunately, it was nowhere to be found. But I was able to find New Moon and Breaking Dawn looking almost brand new. I already own Twilight, now the only one I need is Eclipse to complete the series.

In addition, I also found some Margarat Atwood, Ursula LeGuin and Nicholas Sparks novels. Along with some books I've wanted to read for the longest time, and some hidden gems I have never heard of. Books were priced differently depending on their categories. Hardcovers were 50 cents, paperbacks were 25 cents, and some categories were 3 for a $1.00. All in all, I went home with 14 books for just $4.00! Now all I have to do is make some room on my bookshelf to put all these books!

Word on the Street

Every year cities such as Toronto, Halifax, and Vancouver host their annual "Word on the Street" book and magazine festival. The festival takes place simultaneously all around Canada on the last Sunday of September. (It's always easy for my to remember the day it takes place, because it happens right around my Birthday!) The festival consists of book sales, author readings, author signings, concession stands, and many different kinds of book related activities. I kept hearing about Word on the Street for about three years now but hadn't gotten the chance to experience it for myself, until last Sunday. To say I had a blast at Word on the Street is an understatement.

I started getting excited about the festival just about six weeks prior to the actual date of the event. I kept asking around to see who wanted to join me but not many people seemed too interested. Some of my friends' said things like, "That seems boring" or "Maybe I'll come if I have nothing better to do that day." Finally, I convinced my 17 year old cousin to accompany me. However, I soon learned it probably would have been more fun to go alone. The event went on from 11 am to 6 pm, but we only stayed around for the afternoon. I got a chance to see the Scotiabank Giller Prize tent (which was actually the main one I really wanted to see) and heard some author readings. Much to my surprise, many of the books were actually being sold for a fraction of the cost. One independent author was selling his book at a price of "pay what you can." (Yes, you read right.) The book sold on book shelves for $16.99, but I got a steal for $10.00! Even better, the author personalized it for me with his autograph!

I am a proud member of an online community called "Wattpad" who also had a booth at Word on the Street. I was super excited to see some of the people I've been communicating with online, in the flesh! Wattpad was giving away free t-shirts, posters, stickers, bags and candy. Of course, I took some! Many tents were giving away freebies, and I'm proud to say I've accumulated a lifetime supply of free bookmarks! Well maybe not a lifetime supply, but so much so that I'm planning on making a scrapbook out of them! After browsing around various tents like a kid in a candy store, it was time to go home and my smile soon turned into a frown. I took my last few steps towards the nearest subway station and already starting planning for Word on the Street 2012. Word on the Street Book and Magazine festival was definitely something I would like to be a part of every year.

Word on the Street Toronto is located at Queen's Park and the best part about it is that it's for everyone and it's free. There are many tents and stages set up which are aimed for kids, teens and adults. If you're a book enthusiast, you're guaranteed to find something for you. Those who don't like buying books can even check out Toronto Public Library's bookmobile, if you're more of a borrower than a purchaser. The only downside about Word on the Street is that most of the authors are Canadian unknowns. Lucky for me, I have read a lot of Canadian books and I love Canadian authors. Furthermore, although I hadn't heard of many of the authors there, I love hidden gems. I am passionate about literature as it is, so I can't describe the feeling of contentment I get when I get to see who is behind the scenes. Overall, it was a great experience, and one that I hope to have again every September.

Does Word on the Street take place in your hometown? Take a look at their website below and find out!

Word on the Street

Photo Diary of "Me, Myself and I."

This is a follow up blog to yesterday's post "Me, Myself and I." These are a few pictures I took while hanging out in the Atrium on Bay.

 

Spring Rolls: I didn't take this photo, but I thought it was quite lovely

 My Precious book!!! Shout outs to BMV!

Me, Myself and I.

Let me start off by saying I haven't been too regular on my blog lately and frankly... it was because I really had nothing to say. But, the creative juices are flowing once again! =)

This past weekend presented me with an unexpected surprise. My husband had to go to downtown for work and I decided to tag along. While he kept himself occupied with a University presentation, I decided to become a tourist in my own city. I was walking on the University campus and noticed a quaint little park where I could sit, relax and read my book (Jane Eyre.) I stayed there for a good hour or so, until I decided I wanted to keep my hunt going to find some more hidden gems. I found a shortcut which lead to the heart of downtown; Yonge & Dundas Square. I walked towards the Eaton Centre but unfortunately, got really overwhelmed by all the noise, religious fanatics giving away free Bible, and people dancing and/or playing instruments on the street corner. I quickly made my way safe into the mall until I realized; the weather is gorgeous outside, do I really want to stay stuck inside all afternoon?! I attempted to make my way through all the rowdiness and shortly after escaping a man telling me I need Jesus to "save me", I saw a huge sign that read "World's Biggest Bookstore." Mind you, there is nothing I love more than libraries and book stores. I walked towards it but before I got to it I noticed a tiny "BMV" right next to it.

I've heard great things about BMV from a handful of my friends. Now what could be better than purchasing books in good condition for a fraction of the cost? As soon as I stepped in, the first thing I noticed was a sign on the wall which read "no cell phone use." This immediately put a smile on my face... I managed to survive busy Dundas Square, and even better, found a quiet little book store where noise is not allowed; could the afternoon get any better? I browsed around and found several books to my liking, with unbeatable prices also to my liking! I could have walked out the store with at least 10 books that afternoon but the first book I thought of was "The Five People You Meet in Heaven." Let me give you a little back story; this is my all time favourte book and I've always picked it up at Chapters'/Indigo thinking if I should buy it or not; hardcover $29.99, paperback $14.99. I always ended up putting it back saying to myself "one day... but not today." I asked the clerk if they had that book in stock and lucky for me, they did. Even luckier for me, it only cost $5.99 for a hardcover, in almost perfect condition! Even then, I was about to put it down, but told myself that I've waited long enough and today is the day! So I bought it and now I finally have my favourite book in my home library!

After making my purchase, I went back to my park bench and continued reading Jane Eyre, this time doing so with an even bigger smile on my face. Lunch time came, so I bought myself some food at Tim Hortons, and kept myself company at the campus' outdoor patio. After finishing my bagel and Iced Capp, I realized I still had some time to kill. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and give Dundas Square and Eaton Centre another go. On my way there, I found a doorway which lead to "The Atrium on Bay." This was new to me, I'd never seen it before. Considering that I'd already seen the Eaton Centre before but had never even noticed the Atrium, I decided to go there instead. It was quiet, many of the stores were closed, but I found the building architecture breathtaking. I did the only thing I could think of at this point; I enjoyed myself. Before I knew it, the afternoon was over and it was time to go home. Little did I know me, myself and I would keep me such great company on a lovely Sunday afternoon.

Books I Want To Read

Book Series':

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

I remember hearing The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe in fifth grade and immediately fell in love with it's magic. Not to mention, it made me curious about this wonderful dessert called Turkish Delight. It wasn't until years later that I found out it was actually a book from a seven part series. I bought the series a couple of years ago and have read 2 1/2 books from my collection. Part of me finds the series a bit tedious because the writing style is not my cup of tea. However, I am on a mission to finish the series one day.

Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Long before Peter Jackson produced his wonderful cinematic version of Lord of The Rings, I remember walking past my older brothers' bedroom and always seeing his Lord Of The Rings book collection (including The Hobbit) sitting on his book shelf. I often picked them up attempting to read through them, but as a young child, I didn't understand the language. 

Deptford Mice Trilogy by Robin Jarvis

While visiting my local library last summer, I skimmed through the children's section one day and found a wonderful book called "The Alchemist's Cat" by Robin Jarvis. The story was dark, mysterious and quite the page turner. After doing some research, I discovered it was book 1 from the 3 part series called The Deptford Histories, which was actually a prequel series to the original, The Deptford Mice Trilogy. The author did a fantastic job of keeping the readers interested, which made me curious about the entire series. This is a story of dark magic, greed and betrayal which Jarvis delivered really well.

Redwall by Brian Jacques

I discovered The Redwall series around the same time that I read The Alchemist's Cat. I even picked up the first book one day, but never ended up reading it. Since then, I've wanted to go back and finish what I started. I was sad when I found out Brian Jacques passed away a few months ago.

The Seven Realms by Cinda Williams Chima

I recently fell in love with the Heir Chronicles, and was delighted to learn Cinda Williams Chima also wrote another fantasy series. I have yet to start this series but am looking forward to it, as I am a huge fan of Chima's writing style.I am currently reading through The Dragon Heir (and loving it!)

Stand Alones:

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Père

Any kid who grew up in the 90s would remember a lovable dog named Wishbone who brought classic literature to life in a fun, cute and sometimes creepy way. I distinctly remember him acting out The Count of Monte Cristo in one episode. I actually completely forgot about this until the movie was released. It made me want to go back and read the original version.

The Book of Knights by Yves Meynard

My hometown has 99 libraries, and within those 99 libraries, there are only 6 copies of this book. That tells me it must be a true hidden gem. There is something I love about knights. I don't know if it's my passion for medieval culture, or the fact that I find knights to be noble and wish we still had them in this day and age. Whatever the reason, I can't begin to express the wonderful feeling I get when I read about someone getting knighted.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

My monthly book club recently read one of Marquez's works, entitled Love in The Time of Cholera. Although I admit, the book was somewhat boring, I am still curious to read One Hundred Years of Solitude. My library has an annual festival every April called "Keep Toronto Reading" in which residents of the city can express their love for reading in every way you can think possible (through facebook, twitter, youtube vlogs, visiting various libraries for their KTR programs). One man in particular made a video about how much he loved One Hundred Years of Solitude and he spoke about it so passionately.

The Art of Racing In the Rain by Garth Stein

I don't even remember where I heard about this book. But if there's something I love as much as reading, it's reading books about animals. Reading the reviews, and even watching the book trailer made this story seem sweet and interested (to say the least) as it is narrated by the family dog. Recently having read The Book Thief, I can honestly say I have become a fan of the unconventional narrative in books.

So much to read, such little time!

Happy Reading!

Movies better than their Books.

How many times have you heard the saying, "the book is always better than the movie?" I myself have admittedly used this quote time and time again. However, I've also been known to contradict myself with a handful of exceptions to this rule. Although I prefer reading a book and using my own imagination to picture the characters, some movies have been far more enjoyable than their original book versions. So here it is, my list of movies I liked better than their books:

1. Bridge to Terabithia:  I am not by any means dismissing the power of this novel. Katherine Paterson won the Newbery Medal in 1978 for this piece of work, which tells us it was a great book. Perhaps the reason I liked the movie so much more was because I was completely drawn by Josh Hutcherson's believable acting skills. It was almost as if I felt everything Jesse Aarons was going through. Not to mention, the writing style in the book was far too primary and "old fashioned" for me, which is understandable since it's a children's book and it was written in the 70s. One little Easter egg I found fascinating about Bridge to Terabithia was that the story was inspired by real events from the life of Katherine Paterson's son, David L. Paterson. (Wait, there's more...) Nearly twenty years later, David went on to direct the movie version of the book. (See, sometimes it pays off to watch the Special Features on the DVD!)

2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief: New York Times Bestselling author Rick Riordon created the wonderful world of Percy Jackson. Amongst other things, Percy's world consists of Greek mythology, friendship, betrayal, and courage. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a five part series which is light, funny and a very easy read. That for me was its downfall. Although I found the book(s) to be quite the page turners, I also was well aware that I was reading a book aimed for sixth graders (as far as I understand.) Being in my mid-twenties, I enjoyed the story but not so much the writing style. However, one thing I did LOVE about the series was that all of the demi-gods were dyslexic and had ADHD. Doing my research, it turns out Riordon's real life son is dyslexic, which inspired this quality in Percy Jackson. Despite the many mistakes they made in the movie (Such as the main characters being fifteen rather than twelve, Annabeth being a brunette rather than blonde, and the battle at the end), I found it very well done. Good acting on the actors part, great visual affects and not to mention I loved the movie battle much more than the book battle. Still, I am looking forward to finishing the last two books in the series to find out what happens to Percy, Grover and Annabeth.

http://www.rickriordan.com/about-rick/an-interview-with-rick.aspx

3. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: I feel like I will be condemned for saying I found the Chronicles of Narnia books somewhat boring. C.S. Lewis' classic stories were wonderful and magical, however his descriptive writing was far too descriptive for my taste. The Disney version of the movie was done beautifully. It was one of those feel-good movies which I have watched (and enjoyed) numerous times. Not to mention, the CGI version of King Aslan was majestic and lovable all at the same time. I can't help but feel a little warm and fuzzy (no pun intended) every time I hear Aslan say, "Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia." On the contrary, I have to hand it to C.S. Lewis for creating a magical world in which readers can escape to, decades before J.K. Rowling introduced us to the mythical world of Harry Potter.

4. Lord of the Rings Trilogy: So this one is a bit of a cheat, as the only one of J.R.R. Tolkien's books I've read is The Hobbit (and it's not exactly qualified as book one from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, but rather a prequel.) But I will say this; I found the writing style of the Hobbit to be quite similar to C.S. Lewis' writing (which is not too surprising to me, as both Tolkien and Lewis were colleagues in a writing club called Inklings.) I loved these movies. The fact that Peter Jackson pretty much made a nine hour movie amazes me till this day. The acting, story line, action sequences: everything about the movies were incredible. There is a part of me that has the desire to have a Lord of the Rings marathon and watch all three movies in a row, but I know it will most likely give me a headache to stare at the TV for that long. Though I've never read Lord of the Rings, I do have the trilogy on my "books I want to read" list.

As you can see, my main complaint with books that have better movies is that I found the writing style either boring, or too simple for my taste. Mind you, these are all great books, but they are even better movies.